This is just like any other week as far as quarterback Nick Foles is concerned. A No. 1 seed in the playoffs secured, the Eagles aren't playing for anything as far as the standings when Dallas comes to town on Sunday, but Foles is "preparing to play the whole game. That's my mindset."
We'll see if his playing time is that extensive, but it appears that Foles is going to line up with the starters on Sunday and play until head coach Doug Pederson decides otherwise. Having played meaningful snaps in only three games this season – the fourth quarter of the win in Los Angeles, the four-touchdown performance at the Giants, and Monday night's struggle in a victory over Oakland – Foles can get some extra reps and add some shine before a bye week arrives.
"I think the big thing is, don't worry about it. Go play ball, stay in a rhythm, get in a zone," Foles said. "Get completions. Stay inside the chains."
The Eagles converted only 1-of-14 third-down opportunities on Monday night, but they weren't very good on first or second down, either. Foles blamed himself when he held his weekly press conference on Thursday at the NovaCare Complex. He didn't "give the receivers chances to make plays." He held the football and just did not get into any kind of drop-back-and-throw-it groove. The offense scored on its second possession and then did very little until a final drive that led to a Jake Elliott field goal, which proved to be the winning points.
In all, the Eagles gained a season-low 216 total net yards. Foles was 19-of-38 for 163 yards with a touchdown and an interception. Foles didn't play well, but it took a team effort to fizzle so much on offense.
That game, though, is in the past. The Eagles are looking forward.
"Looking back on that film there are things that I can do better than I have done better, whether it fundamentally being out of whack a few times and, you know, Oakland played a really good game. I thought they did a great job on defense," Foles said. "But it's the little fundamentals, being a little more accurate, giving our guys an opportunity to make catches. That didn't have to do with the cold weather. That had to do with me as a player.
"That's all correctable and that's what I'm working on this week."
Foles understands how important it is to shed the previous week's performance, good, bad, or otherwise, and turn the page. He's doing that with Dallas on Sunday and he's aware of the outside chatter and the concern over the offense's performance on Monday night.
said. "Nobody is doubting anything at all. We just, collectively, didn't play well as an offensive on Monday night. It happens. It's a long season. This is the NFL.
"But we won the game. That's been our theme all year. We've found a way to win. That's a credit to everyone in this locker room and the coaching staff."
It was just another day on Thursday with just another game waiting on Sunday. It's "Beat Dallas" week and no matter what anybody says, that's just the way it is. Save the panic, please. There is another football game to be won on Sunday before the playoffs approach.
